Prayer Letters 
The greatest need we all have is for unceasing prayer.
Specific, ongoing, prayer needs are: for the Lord to have His way in our lives - for encouragement in spite of how things seem;
pray that He will choose to provide the necessary finances (support remains at 30% of basic living expenses);
pray for Him to continue to provide the place to meet on Sundays and for families to embrace finding the will of God for their lives in this region
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January, February & March 2010 - including Resurrection Morning April 4th and a picture page (back to top)
Dear Pastor & church family,
Season's Greetings! We're finally on the mission field! After a frustrating but victorious trip from Sarasota, FL to Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada we are unpacked and settled into the parsonage on the church property. Thursday, December 9th we pulled in and with help from some folks from the church unloaded the moving van, our mini van, our pickup truck and our small cargo trailer. It was a clear, sunny minus 20 degrees Celsius and the snow had been plowed and the walks shoveled so we could get in. We've had a couple days now at minus 35. Something interesting to note: when the thermometer hits minus 40, it's also minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit!
Dec. 12, my first Sunday here, I preached the A.M. and P.M. services with good attendance (approx. 24). My wife and I were voted into the church membership at the business meeting the following Wednesday. The church voted in two deacons as well. Saturday, Dec. 18 we had the church's Christmas Banquet with singing and a devotion afterward where a 5 year old girl raised her hand for salvation at the invitation. Praise the Lord! We will be working with her to see if she understands about sin and salvation. Lord willing, we'll have to dust the cobwebs out of the baptistry and fill it up. That would be a blessing. We are praying about and planning to start some programs such as Sunday School and Kids Bible Club for Wednesday nights in the new year. For now we want to have a special Christmas Eve Candlelight Service and also a special New Year's Eve Service. Please pray for these services as well as divine appointments to meet and reach the people of Kap. Pray for Anna and for Paul, and for two people I've been asked to visit in Fauquier (Fo-key-ay) which is about 15 minutes from Kap.
Ross and I both have caught a cold. I guess it's because we've been out in the cold every day and it's not exactly Sarasota, FL weather, but we're already on the mend.
We thank God every day for everyone who has given to make this move possible and for those who have sacrificed above and beyond. We still need to raise 24% of our needed support. We have a mission conference in February and another meeting came through three days ago , praise God, but we have to be careful in our spending… it's expensive way up here. Please pray that churches we have presented the ministry in will be able to take us on for support now that we are on the field.
I'm thankful that God gave me a second chance. I'm also thankful to God that you gave me a chance. A chance to spread the Gospel up here and make a difference with compassion in the lives we hope to touch as we labor for Jesus Christ who is worthy and is the Reason for the Season!
Love, in Christ,
Chris Raguth & family
(Here's how it looked the night I wrote this letter. It was snowing and minus 30C so the lens was fogging up fast!)
December 14, 2004
Greetings from Kap! We arrived safe and sound the evening of December 9. We got to our new home the next morning and found Mr. Dan waiting for us. He and Ron helped us to unload the 24' Uhaul truck and our small utility trailer. Mrs. Marguerite came over and helped receive boxes into the house. She showed us all around and bowled us over when we got to the kitchen where the counters were jammed with food! What a blessing! Then Mrs. Ruth brought a delicious lunch over for us all. We had the truck and trailer empty by about 4pm when Ms. Verna brought us dinner. We are so thankful for all that has been done to welcome us to our new home.
Special thanks to all who prayed extra hard for us while we were en route. Every time the Uhaul truck acted up we knew it was Satan trying to take our eyes and hearts and minds off the real journey. So we resisted the urge to stay frustrated and angry.
We are excited to finally be in the place to which we believe God has called us. We are looking forward to getting to know people in the community and begin inviting folks to church. Please pray God will direct our paths to people who need Him. We will publish a prayer letter before Christmas with more details.
We pray God will bless all you do in His name.
Dear Pastor & church family,
After great meetings in Ft. Myers, FL; Ft. Wayne, IN; Saginaw, MI; Barrie, Ajax, Orillia and North Bay, Ontario we headed for Kapuskasing. We are grateful to each and every one who helped us by praying for us, giving of their finances to help us on our way and for the great fellowship we enjoyed. The Lord has blessed us in every way through his people.
Kapuskasing is the town in northern Ontario where the church split over the pastor going progressive, voted to leave the Fellowship, become Independent and use the KJV only. Their last deacon is Stephen Black who I met last summer in Kashechewan - he called Bro. Forney on the day I got out of the hospital to ask if I'd be interested in taking this work. This was exciting not only for Independent Baptists but for me also because it seemed as if all doors to the Arctic had been closed to me. It brought to mind Acts 16: 7 - 10:
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Kapuskasing's population is 9,500 plus more in outlying areas. 66% are French Canadians with the predominant denomination being Catholic. 200 native people live in Kap and there are native reservations - one is 1 hr to the east, another is 1 hr to the west, another is 1.5 hrs southwest and there are at least five villages within close flying distance to the north. My family and I spent a week with the people of Kapuskasing Baptist Church - we met all the remaining members (12) and fellowshipped with several and believe it is indeed God's plan for us to be in ministry for Him there. The week after we left, a meeting was held where the church voted unanimously to call me to pastor. However, I will be their missionary-pastor. The church can't support a pastor at this time. But the church building and the parsonage next door is paid for so we have been offered a package that will bring our support level to 71% of the funds needed to live in Kapuskasing. My vision has not changed regarding reaching the Native Peoples of Northern Canada. God has given me a base from which to work toward that end. My vision now includes building up the group of believers still at Kapuskasing Baptist Church, reaching out to all the people of Kapuskasing, and then creating outreach ministries to the Native villages and reservations that surround Kapuskasing.
We arrived back in Sarasota the beginning of October, after meetings in London, Ontario; Brandenburg, KY and a great missions conference in Canton, Georgia. They want us back in Kap as soon as possible, so now things are moving very fast. God willing, we plan to be back in Kapuskasing full-time by early December 2004. To do this, several things must happen. Pray with me that God's will is accomplished. In order to go to the field fully funded $1000 per month must be raised. The travel trailer God gave us must be sold. My business must sell or I will have to dismantle the shop, sell some tools, and pack up the rest for the trip to Kap. We also need to establish a moving fund to pay for transporting our belongings and paying the necessary fees for moving to Canada.
God has made a way! A way for a 47 year old man and his family to get on the field NOW, a way for us to do that which He has called us to do NOW. All we had to do was, and is, to remain faithful and not quit. I pray the same thing for you and your church family. Stay faithful and never quit.
Because He Lives,
Chris Raguth & family
Dear Church,
Thank you for your prayers. The surgery to reverse the colostomy I had for eight months was successful. I went in May 13, and I'm recovering. Just before I went in for the surgery, I started the rebuilding process on our 1985 Dodge pickup truck. It's what we pull our travel trailer/home with to go to meetings in churches. It has received a new set of brakes and bearings; rear end gears, transmission, engine, and suspension. I was able to get it all done for around $5000 and so I remain debt free - praise the Lord!
The specialists I had in the second surgery were paid by the remainder of the love offering given to me by First Bible Baptist Church of Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. The hospital bill (from both surgeries - $95,000) has been taken care of through a community program, which was income based. I am humbled and I praise God for his goodness.
The day I was discharged from the hospital, I got a call from my pastor, Dr. Gary Jackson. My mission director, Bro. Gary Forney had called Dr. Jackson. A man I met last June while on a survey/mission trip to the native village of Kashechewan, Ontario, had contacted Bro. Forney. He attends a Baptist church in Kapuskasing, Ontario. He called and asked if I would be interested in the possibility of taking a church that had split from being a Fellowship church to become Independent. Kapuskasing is a sub-Arctic area at the top point of the northern highway in Ontario. Several Cree Indian villages of the Five Nations are located to the north of Kap.
I'm praying about this and getting excited at the possibility of what this might mean. Would you pray about this with me? I have been called to be a missionary but I am praying about my field of service being a people group not a certain geographic area of Northern Canada in which He would have me to minister. There is virtually no Fundamental Baptist presence in this area. I believe the native people of the villages north of Kap could be reached through this opportunity. I will still need to raise support but maybe not as much as originally projected.
I know of no missionary or Independent Baptist church in the native villages of Ontario. I feel compelled to take the Gospel where no one is taking it. Since I know of 3 missionaries on the field in Northwest Territories and 2 more families who are headed there and are closer to finishing deputation than me I believe the Lord is giving me this opportunity. We plan to seek the Lord's will on this by visiting Kapuskasing September 1 - 6, 2004.
We want you to know how much we appreciate your prayers and support. I pray everyday for His blessing upon each pastor and his family; and for each church family - that God would bless and keep you strong and going forward for the kingdom to which we are all heirs.
Because He Lives,
Chris Raguth & family
Ephesians 1:15 - 17
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:"
Dear Pastor and Church,
I must begin my letter today by telling you how thankful I am to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for you folks. 
Purpose - to be a lighthouse in your community and around the world;
Prayers - for me and my family;
Promise - to support this ministry;
Patience - as I struggle to be on full time deputation and reach the goal set before me.
Since my illness and surgery in September 2003, to a tentative resectioning surgery date of "first week of April", to a second date of April 29th, to needing another procedure before being given a third, but definite, date of May 13th - it has been a long and frustrating eight months.
I have been serving the Lord as I wait and continually remind myself that God is in control. I thank Him that I'm strong and healthy. I get asked a lot about what has happened, so please bear with me as I review it for you:
2003, September - emergency surgery and secondary infection of the incision
October - recovery and wound-vac for 4 weeks
November - start back to work, Mission Conference in Ajax, Ontario, Canada
December - serve in home church, pack mother's household where we were living
2004, January - meetings in eight local churches
February - move mother to new home, move us into travel trailer, Mission Conference in Bradenton, FL
March - serving and encouraging in home church after staff changes, meeting in Ft. Wayne, Indiana
April - trying to sell business, awaiting surgery
Forgive me for listing it, but it helps me to see that I haven't been dragging my feet. Quite the contrary, I am driven about getting to the field.
I thank God specifically for every Pastor and his family along with each congregation that is supporting our ministry. I pray that God will bless you, undergird you, keep you strong and that lives will continue to be changed as a result of your willingness to serve Him.
This weekend I'm visiting one more church before I go in for surgery. The second week of June starts our summer itinerary and another push to go full time. Please pray for my surgery to go well and my business to sell. I've purposed in my heart to get to Arctic Canada - pray with me that this will be accomplished quickly.
In His service,
Missionaries Chris Raguth & Family
"For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." Isaiah 50.7
January 2004 
(back to top)
Dear Pastor and Church,
Ministry Developments: Praise the Lord for His Grace and goodness. We are excited about all the Lord will accomplish through us this year. Since surgery in September 2003, my deputation wings were clipped - except for a great Missions Conference at FaithWay Baptist Church in Ajax, Ontario during November. Now I am pleased to report that the momentum is building again. We have visited eight new churches in the month of January and, thanks be to God, have been filling up the schedule for February and March. My prayer was for meetings to open up that only I could fill. God is so good - four instances so far this month of answered prayer where a time slot opened up for me and during a visit to a church in our area, the pastor announced that they had voted to take us on for support without even seeing us! Praise the Lord!
In February the Lord has given us meetings in Florida; in March, so far one meeting in Indiana. (It would be great to have at least one more there.) April and May are in Florida and reserved for surgery and recovery. Then as the Lord hastens my recovery - on to North Carolina and Ohio for June and points north from there! If you know someone we should talk to in these states, please send the information by email - and know it will be greatly appreciated.
Personal Developments: I am back to work at furniture restoration, still praying for a buyer for the business. We are cleaning out the home which I grew up in and where my mother has lived for 35 years and preparing to move my mom into her new home in March. The Lord has guided us to the home for which we have been praying. When my mother's home sells in February - the travel trailer at left will be our only home. We have prayed for months about where the Lord wanted us to live until deputation is done. This solves our dilemma of wanting to use our resources wisely. I have been convinced that it would be unwise to rent a home when, Lord willing, we won't be in town to live in it - another instance of answered prayer.
Prayer needs:
that I and my family be used of God, everywhere we go, for souls to be saved and believers to be revived; for God's control on my surgeon, anesthesiologist, all who work as support to them, and for a speedy recovery after this next surgery; for the funds to pay off the hospital bill;
for the funds to pay off the travel trailer;
for pastors to schedule meetings with me; for our support level to increase
for travel safety
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. My family and I know your prayers help so very much. We are praying for you daily. May God continue to bless all you do to further His Kingdom.
Surrendered to serve because of Christ,
Missionaries Chris Raguth & Family
"...The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5.16
October/November/December 2003 (back to top)
Dear Pastor and Church,
In our September update, I shared with you about my on-going medical saga. To see that, scroll down to September.
Since then God has blessed every coming in and going out. Prayers have been answered and desires granted. I encourage you to keep track of the things your heart REALLY desires because we have seen God will try to give them to you. Read on to see what I mean.
From the health aspect: Some of the comings in and goings out: We have no health insurance, which meant we could not get the little machine called a wound v.a.c.($100 per day to close the incision). This machine would close the wound in 4 weeks but without it the same healing would take months. I lived with the incision being dressed every 8 hours for 2 weeks and then my wife found out the company did have a program whereby the machine could be sent to us. Many people prayed and my wife even dared to desire it on Monday. To make a great story short - the company tried to deliver it to us on Monday but we were at the doctor's office! The wound v.a.c. was delivered on 9/30 and placed on my wound on 10/1. I have experienced miraculous healing because unless the Lord had done it that incision would have taken months to heal; with the wound v.a.c. it took just 4 weeks. When the v.a.c. dressing was taken off for the last time there was still a small open place but it healed in one week - the week we traveled to Ajax, Ontario. So now I am back to working at furniture restoration part-time and deputation part-time. My surgeon won't see me again until mid-April and then he'll set the date for the reconnection surgery(I have a colostomy that is reversible). I still have to be treated for high blood pressure and I still have to take coumadin to dissolve the blood clot(and will for the next 4 months). Thank you for taking requests for my needs to the throne of the great Physician-King - I believed they have been answered.
From the financial aspect: THE GREATEST BLESSING TO DATE - Praise God for First Bible Baptist Church of Inuvik, Northwest Territories!!! This is the church we were privileged to visit for the survey trip. This is the church through which Points North Baptist Mission Canada is a ministry. This is a native church that is the result of mission giving, now itself involved in worldwide missions outreach. This is the church which, upon receiving our prayer letter, held a day of prayer and in the evening called a church meeting. The result of that meeting: the church voted to send me $20,000 to help with the doctors' bills! I was stunned when Pastor Donley called me at 10pm on that Sunday night to tell me the news. My first reaction was: "How can they do that?" Pastor Donley explained about the meeting and told me it was one sentence in my prayer letter that God used to compel them to help me. The phrase was: "I am a missionary to the Canadian Arctic people and that has not changed." And it has not changed. Do other people see a thing like this as a sign to quit? I see it differently - I see it as testing or training. If I'd give up so easily, how could I endure the things that will happen when I go to a field that has never had a witness and doesn't want one either? (My family and I cannot express our thanks enough to you precious folks of First Bible Baptist Church in Inuvik - Thank you.) Will everyone else who is reading this, pray now for souls to be saved there in Inuvik, lives to be changed, and the saints to be encouraged and strengthened to continue on in the work of our Lord?
Thanks are also due here to Brother Gary Forney and Pastor Snow of Calvary Baptist Church - they are helping us by overseeing the funds donated by First Bible Baptist. We wanted accountability for so great a sum of money - we wanted there to be no doubt as to how the money has and will be spent.
During the time I have been unable to work (all of September and October) my wife and I were blessed repeatedly by our church family - through their giving we always had enough money to pay the bills that never stop. In addition to the weekly love gifts we received, there were also extra amounts given through our supporting churches as love offerings. We've also been blessed by the doctors and services you need while hospitalized - several cut their bills in half, two donated their services entirely. Additionally, the wound v.a.c. was donated! Our God is a great God! He cares for us.
We are pleased to report our support level has reached 9.4% due to FaithWay Baptist Church voting to partner with us for the Canadian Arctic - Praise the Lord for FaithWay Baptist and the precious folks there.
- To all who have given financially we thank you - To all who have taken time to pray we thank you -
From the deputation aspect: To put it directly, I need appointments to present our ministry! Being ill for two months and then working to catch up with the furniture work(which is providing for our day-to-day needs) means I have spent no time calling you pastors and asking for meetings. My schedule for January, February and the beginning of March is wide open - please prayerfully consider taking part in the ministry God has laid on my heart and allow me to share our vision of ministry with your church family. We want to be a blessing - we've prayerfully prepared ourselves, Ross and Rachel included, to do more than show our slides and shake hands. Can we help you make a point with your congregation? Can we give your children's church workers a day off? Can we minister in music or bless someone in need in a specific way that only you could know?
I am officially on Part-time Deputation with the desire to be full-time burning in my chest daily. The Lord allowed us to sell our home, so we have no permanent residence to hold us back. The Lord has allowed me to have my own business for the past 13 years so I have gained the discipline needed to be self-motivated but it also gives me the freedom to come and go as my deputation schedule requires.
In February, my mother's home (where we are residing now) will sell. Would it be good stewardship to rent a house or should we acquire a motorhome as our residence? We believe the Lord is going to provide a pre-owned Class C that is in excellent mechanical condition with low mileage. A motorhome allows us the ultimate freedom of staying in an area versus driving long distances to get home. What are your thoughts on missionaries and motorhomes? I'd appreciate hearing from you - if you have email, send it to chris@raguth.com.
We are praying for you daily. We covet your prayers - please pray: that we'll be used of God everywhere and wherever we are, pastors to schedule appointments, our support level to grow and for the meetings the Lord has given us.
May God bless all your comings in and goings out for the coming year.
Surrendered to serve because of Christ,
Missionaries Chris Raguth & Family
September 2003 (back to top)
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Our prayer letter for July/August was done, waiting to be revised when, suddenly, in the last week of August I became ill. It felt like a 24-hour flu. So I stayed in bed and took fluids and Tylenol, waiting for it to pass. 24 hours became 48 and then 72 and I realized that this must not be some kind of ordinary flu. My wife took me to the emergency room where blood and urine tests found nothing. They sent me home with strong antibiotics and said check back in a couple of days. Three days later, on August 31st I was back in the emergency room with something acute but still undetectable to the doctors. After 48 hours on two kinds of antibiotics and my white count at 37,000 my surgeon decided to operate with the plan to fix whatever was wrong. Exploratory surgery found a perforated sigmoid colon, which had to be removed, creating the need for a colostomy. After seven days of recovery my incision had to be opened to deal with a secondary infection and added 4 more days to my hospital stay. Finally, on September 14, I was able to leave the hospital.
Now I'm home, my wife dresses the incision that had to be opened (and left open) every eight hours. We were travelling to the hospital's day treatment center (it's only 25 min. each way) every day for intravenous antibiotics (one hour). Then I began to run another fever and an ultrasound revealed a blood clot had collected in my arm due to incompetence when my pic line was placed.
For the next five days we went to the day treatment center twice a day and the doctor decided I should receive two antibiotics (two hours). As of this writing I only go in to the hospital weekly to have the wound checked.
I'm learning how to deal with a colostomy, and things are quite different in my life right now, but I am praising God. He's shown me many things in this trial. I'm praising God because I am on the mend, and that means that God's plan for me is still on. I am a missionary to the Canadian Arctic people and that has not changed. I heard somewhere that: "The man of God in the will of God is immortal until God is finished with him." So on I go. The doctor says that it will take about 4 weeks to heal the open incision site. I'm not allowed to lift anything heavier than a bag of sugar for at least that long. I'm also being strongly cautioned to avoid public settings until the wound has healed. I'm praising God because the surgeon has assured me the colostomy is reversible in four to six months. Please pray with me for a speedy recovery - I've been unable to work for four weeks now and with our support level just above 8%, (if I work) my business still puts dinner on the table and gas in the tank. We are trusting the Lord will provide - He's always on time with exactly what we need.
We were in the process of obtaining health insurance the very week this started - but the policy had not been issued. Now we will have some insurance but this condition will be excluded. Therefore, we will also be trusting God for the approx. $120,000 we'll need to pay off the hospital, doctors, labs, radiologists, anesthesiologists, etc.
As I mentioned in the enclosed July/August update: we have some folks who are interested in buying my business and possibly my mother's art restoration business as well. We're praising God because even though they have had medical problems at the same time as me, they still say they are interested. Isn't that God? Satan is never going to win - we will stay true and listen hard for what God wants. I talked with Bro. Forney, my mission board director, and told him I'm still going to the field God has called me to and he said, "well, they sure need you there brother". Oh, how I desire to move forward and get there! Beloved Church - pray for us that God will make it all come to pass and soon!
Special, Special Thanks to my wonderful church family - Liberty Baptist Church. I have received a multitude of cards, many visitors, several calls, a stuffed doggie (my daughter adores him), great books, a vase of flowers, a silk flower arrangement, a box of goodies to eat (which helped eliminate a trip to the store), two hot dinners for my family, two love offerings which helped buy groceries, a great big pot of mums and I'm sure I've overlooked some other blessings. We also want to thank the Roberts' and the Curtis' - your willingness to love on our kids and spend time with them made it easier for them and us. It's definitely more fun at your house than at the hospital! Last but most important is the fervent effectual prayer that has taken place on my behalf. My wife remarked more than once that she could feel the love and support and that knowing you were praying made it more possible for her to endure gracefully the uncertainty of my days in the hospital.
We are praying for you. We covet your prayers - please pray that my healing will be nothing less than a miracle, please pray with us for the business to sell, our support level to reach 40% as soon as possible so we can concentrate on our pre-field ministry full-time and pastors to have dates open up that only I can fill. Pray for the meetings the Lord has given us in Michigan on November 2 and in Ajax, Ontario November 5 - 9, 2003.
Surrendered to serve because of Christ,
Missionaries Chris Raguth & Family
July/August 2003 (back to top)
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Since the June update The Lord has given us travelling safety as we logged over 5,000 miles. He has provided meetings. In July we were scheduled to be in Turbotville, PA; Barrie, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario and Rockford, IL. In addition to that God provided for us to meet an additional four churches! Foremost in our minds are the many wonderful people who welcomed us with open arms and treated us like favorite relatives. He has given us another supporting church (our first in Canada), bringing our support level to 8.09%!!
Thank you-Thank you-Thank you to: Turbotville Independent Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Jackson, Heritage Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Pennell and his willingness to introduce me to other Pastors; North Country Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Crow; Mississauga International Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Thiessen, Pastor & Mrs. Shaw; Cornerstone Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Rust and their willingness to be a blessing at a moment's notice; North Love Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Kingsbury, Bro. & Mrs. Goodge, Bro. Inman; Wyldewood Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. King and many others under their ministry there but especially Bro. Jim (Bearing Precious Seed), Bro. & Mrs. Rushing, Bro. & Mrs. Warinner, Bro. & Mrs. Burns; Community Baptist Church, Pastor & Mrs. Tower, Bro. & Mrs. Kirkwood. We know we've left someone out, please forgive the oversight - the Lord knows what you have done and we have been blessed as the Bible says in Malachi 3:10b -" ...and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
We enjoyed times of excellent fellowship. We talked with people struggling with God's call on their lives - we are praying they will surrender and get on with the work. We were blessed with time to talk with people who've traveled the road we are taking now - it's reassuring to know we are on the right track. One of the most touching moments of the whole trip was when a six-year-old boy brought a paper bag filled with the contents of his bank from home. His dad told my wife that it was his own idea and had been his plan for some time to give this offering to a missionary. Later that week - we were in another state, in between meetings and because of that little boy's sacrifice we had clean clothes and bedding! We have memory upon memory of ways the Lord worked to make the trip special for our whole family.
God has shown us that faith and obedience is the most important to Him. How many people would embark on a 5,000-mile journey with $300 cash, $100 worth of groceries and a full tank of gas? Truthfully - we did consider NOT going. But we prayed and reasoned that the Lord had given the meetings and He would provide all our need. The world would say we were crazy to go, but we serve a GREAT God and so we ignore what the world would say. Do you? If not, please start today and then start again tomorrow. The best part of the story is that we suffered no lack during our time of travelling - every leg of the journey cost exactly as much money as we had at our disposal.
The next blessing to announce is the sale of our home! A godly young woman, who is a member of our sending church and close personal friend of ours called right after I mailed the June update. She said the most unbelievable thing - that she thought she'd like to buy our house. My wife and I had never considered a woman would want to buy our house - it needs LOTS of work! Well, the Lord worked it all out while we were on the road the whole month of July and a few days after we returned to Sarasota we closed. So now we're homeless! One less tie to keep us from full time deputation. On top of that I have someone who is interested in my business and possibly in my mother's business as well! One discussion that took place during our travels was that instead of advertising the business, I should advertise for an experienced furniture restoration specialist to work as a subcontractor with me. The thought was that this person would come to decide he/she would want to take over the business. Upon our return, there in the mail was the resume of an experienced restoration specialist!!! We're praying this is God's man for us.
We appreciate the prayers you send up on our behalf. We know without all the prayer support things would probably be much more difficult. We are praying for you - if you have specific prayer needs please email us and we will pray with you about them. We covet your prayers - please pray with us for the business to sell, the right housing arrangements to be made available for us and my mom, our support level to reach 40% as soon as possible and pastors to have dates open up that only I can fill. We will be in Michigan on November 2 and in Ajax, Ontario for a mission conference November 5 - 9, 2003. We need meetings on the way to Michigan and on the way home from Ontario.
June 2003 (back to top)
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
We praise the Lord for you and your faithfulness to pray for us. The offerings you send are a greatly appreciated blessing. We are praising the Lord that we are at 6.82% support! Since beginning deputation part-time in October 2002, we have had the privilege of being in nine churches. Five churches have voted to partner with us and we are grateful for your support. When we reach the 40% mark, we will be able to concentrate on full-time deputation.
We have seen many decisions for the Lord. On a Saturday recently, I had the privilege of leading a man to the Lord whom I have known since 1968! The Lord has granted us safety through all our travels. Our first year of homeschool has been interesting and our children survived! Even better, they say they love staying home for school.
My devotions this month are in the book of Lamentations. I find it amazing how the scriptures speak to me at the very point of my need. Chapter 3 especially touched me:
1 I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.
2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.
3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day.
4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.
5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and travail.
6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.
7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy.
8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.
It feels as if Satan has been gunning for us. Our house sale fell through and we are back at square one. My business has not sold though several have looked. Our transmission broke in Georgia recently and we had to come up with $750 to pay for the repair. These are just a few examples of the challenges thrust on my family and me as we seek to do the work God has called me to do. We praise the Lord for our church family and everyone praying for us. I can only imagine what would happen if I were doing this on my own. I have purposed to serve the Lord, no matter what - and in the serving - Give Satan a black eye! Nevertheless, I will not leave it there - God never leaves us without hope. So, as you read and consider Chapter 3 be sure to meditate on:
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
And:
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
A word about the broken transmission - that, I believe, was of the Lord. Why else would my cousin and her husband be exactly where we needed them most? I think it would be arrogant of me to believe the Lord moved them to Georgia to help me. But - is it arrogant to think the Lord allowed the transmission trouble so we could be an encouragement to my cousin's family at the same time they were meeting our needs? Hmmm....Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.
As summer comes into full swing, we are heading out on the road again. The Lord has provided the meetings. In July we will be in Turbotville, PA; Barrie, Ontario; Brampton, Ontario and Rockford, IL. Please pray with us. Pray for travelling protection and financial providence. Pray for opportunities to reach the lost everywhere we go. Pray for us to have genuine insight as to how we can minister in each church and to each pastor who has graciously invited us to come. Unceasing prayer is our greatest need. Our next highest need is financial. The transmission expense coupled with not selling our house will create a hardship financially. We see again, God is good as He has given us much experience with stretching every dollar to go far.
Surrendered to serve because of Christ,
Rev. Chris Raguth & Family
Missionaries to Arctic Canada
